The Umbra Sect

Currently led by an enigmatic character named Shade, the Umbra sect was founded on the philosophy of "equal justice." They are one of the oldest known sects, but didn't start expanding until the Goa Empire united Avalon under its banner, allowing numerous factions to take advantage of the rebuilding to consolidate power. Unlike the other sects that focus on military and political power and pioneering the path of Devi, the Umbra sect places a unique focus on services to the people. Such services include transporting people and things including smuggling, assassinations, bodyguard protections, investigations, and espionage. Because of this, Umbra Arts are taught as a supplement to relevant skills needed to perform contracts. Since relevant skills are taught in the field with real consequences right from the beginning, new recruits are encouraged to practice an art on the Meliorist path to increase their chances of survival. The Umbra sect has public branches in every major city, however these branches only exist as the face of the sect to accept contracts. Most of their operations exist in the underworld at secret hubs known only to the members who carry out said tasks. Anyone wishing to officially join the sect must make it to one of these hubs on their own without being tailed. Still, this doesn't stop other factions from attempting to tail would-be members in order to gain more intelligence on the Umbra sect. Being one of the factions that holds a monopoly on information on the other sects, the Umbra sect's relationship with most factions exists only on the surface level. Their closest relationship exists with the Cloisters as they're also a service based sect that closely resembles the Umbra system. Due to the recent The sect usually follows a grandfather system of seniority with the exception of talented practitioners who may gain seniority through meritorious actions through the approval of standing elders. New recruits start out shadowing the elder of their sect, who assigns them to tail members eligible for missions. In this way, most members are involved in the recruitment process and new recruits have an easier time getting to know everyone else in their hub unlike larger sects.

Seniority Rookie - new recruits are called Rookie [Family Name]. They have no privileges in the sect or access to resources. Instead they're assigned a member to follow along on missions in order to gain first hand experience and an understanding of the standard operating procedure of missions. Rookies are vetted first by the Elder in making sure they don't have malintent against the sect and second by their supervisor who's in charge of making sure the rookie can survive and learn.

Scout - After the vetting process, rookies become official members of the sect as a scout. Scouts are given the missions with the lower danger ratings usually involving minimal conflict with other parties. Such missions include smuggling, transport, and protection of low value assets and persons. During this stage, scouts are encouraged to figure out which path of Umbra they wish to take while gaining the relevant experience. Most members spend years at this stage learning either alchemy, honing their skills during missions or learning how to complete missions more efficiently as a team to prepare for their advancement test. There's no age limit for this stage.

Alchemist - Scouts that show enough talent in alchemy, complete enough missions on record through the use of self-concocted potions/poisons, and/or pass Umbra's alchemical exam are promoted to Alchemist. Alchemists are divided between two groups. Those who concoct potions for the sect and those who use their concoctions to complete missions. Fresh alchemists are kept as potions experts for the sect as both a contingency and as a form of protection for both themselves and the sect. Only after building enough merit in making potions that consistently work and gaining the trust of the Elder are alchemists allowed to officially represent the sect in missions alongside Linkers. Due to the stigma of Alchemists in some nations, most Alchemists of the Umbra sect are located in the Delphinia Queendom where alchemy is celebrated. Potions and poisons made here are shipped off to the various hubs by off duty Ghosts. Since the Poison Scare in Nairobi, all of their alchemists learned their craft outside the country and new recruits wishing to learn alchemy must register and study under the tutelage of an Alchemist under the Nairobi legislation.

Ranger - Especially talent scouts that have achieved outstanding merits, completed a number of group recommended missions by themselves, or are directly promoted by the Elder of the sect can become rangers. Rangers are given the most vital missions to kill high value targets, steal high value assets, or smuggle assets or persons through especially dangerous territory. They are also sometimes leaders of a group to pioneer new territory or set up temporary hubs in an area to expand operations. Becoming a ranger is a fast track to becoming an Elder, but also has the highest mortality rate. Aside from going on missions, Rangers are required to learn the Devi Arts of the Umbra sect. They're relied upon to teach other members of the sect the Art and are expected to have a comprehensive understanding in the event they aren't promoted to being a Ghost of their generation.

Linker - Scouts that follow the standard path in completing their missions solo or in groups based on the recommendations eventually become linkers after successfully completing a certain number of missions. These missions allow team mates to anonymously record how much everyone contributed to the completion of the mission in order to avoid someone taking credit for missions they were carried on. Although this system exists in place, there are still human errors due to discrimination or bad blood between party members which is overcome by requiring a person to join different teams every three missions. If there aren't enough people to enforce this rule, scouts close their Linker promotion are sent on missions with a Ranger or senior.

Potionmaster - At this stage, a member of the Umbra sect can only be directly promoted by the Elder. Through building merits in the sect over a period of time, showing outstanding talent or participating in several grand missions and finally creating their own unique potion can an alchemist qualify to become a Potionmaster. This usually takes anywhere from 5 to 10 years. Potionmasters are divided into 7 classes based on their understanding and achievements in alchemy. Rank 1 Potionmasters meet the minimal requirements for potions that Ghosts and Echowings use in their missions. Based on what their unique potion is, a Rank 1 Potionmaster will have an easier time rising in rank by improving on their unique potion. Because Potionmasters need constant supplies for both production and research, most of them are sponsored or team up with other members of the sect or practitioners/merchants outside the sect in order to maintain their supply. This has raised many problems in past with Potionmasters having a conflict on interest between their sponsor and the sect, which the Umbra sect has been slowly taking measures to rectify by securing resources. However with their low manpower, keeping any of their supply chains proves difficult.

Ghost - The most outstanding Rangers in terms of merit, achievements, missions completed, and years in service within a generation are promoted to a Ghost. Ghosts are the face of the Umbra sect as well as it's backbone. The widespread fear and admiration for the Umbra sect originates from the achievements of their Ghosts. They take care of all high profile assassinations, retrievals and escorting VIP clients. Unless something happens within the sect, a Ghost is locked in this position and can never become an Elder and are instead reassigned to another hub based on availability to cut ties with their fellow sect members. However because of their merits and being privy to the most vital of sect secrets, they have a chance at becoming sect leader in the event the current leader steps down. As masters of the night, their identity as a Ghost is kept under wraps even within the sect. It's unknown how many Ghosts exist in each generation as their existence is usually covered up by their death, hence their title. Only the sect leader can directly move the Ghosts. Their status being only known to the sect leader and the Elder of their respective hub.

Echowing - named so after a nocturnal, avian beast that uses echolocation, Echowings are senior most members of the Umbra sect directly under the Elder. They make up the majority of the sect's forces and usually lead a team of Linkers on their most important group missions. Their missions cover the widest range of tasks and they have the widest skill set. Their greatest strength lies in their team work, proficient enough to use the Umbra sects most challenging and most powerful Arts by channeling their Devi together in formations. Such formations include mass invisibility, communication networks using echolocation, shared vision, and even generating night coverage over a small area during the day.

Secrets Shade hasn't been sighted in three years because she's trying to personally deal with a coup involving a few hubs beings involved in a conspiracy between the Nairobi Republic and the Goa Empire. This is the school Jack chooses because he wants to be able to escape whenever his power isn't good enough and he believes true justice occurs from the darkness, not the light. The Umbra sect was first founded by a remnant of the Revers of Justice before the Goa Empire was established. Their core values and beliefs aligned with Ana and since then every host has been affiliated with the Umbra sect in one way or another. Because of this, the Goa Empire doesn't view the Umbra sect favorably and played a direct hand in their current crisis. The Shade of the Umbra sect is responsible for protecting the sect from the Empire as their primary duty. This direct command is passed down verbally from predecessor to successor. The Ghost at the center of the current crisis was a candidate for succession before he turncoat. The Umbra sect's current crisis began when their successor candidate and former Ghost Olivier disappeared the moment several secret hubs were attacked simultaneously. There are currently no known survivors although some hostages were secretly taken to be interrogated for information on other hubs. It is believed that Ghost Olivier was either kidnapped or was responsible although most believe the latter. The Shade is currently spending most of her time looking into the incident and has since placed restrictions on recruitment and contact between hubs, deciding to visit each one herself while undercover. 

The least attractive school of Devi due to stigma and treatment of students. Disciples of Umbra aren't given any resources or an official place to study until they gain their first promotion. This school has hubs too small to call divisions located everywhere, including the Forlorn territories, where they have to do odd jobs for their teachers in exchange for teachings. All practitioners of Umbra are practical people who take discreet contracts from clients so they don't have time to babysit a class of students. Because of this, the structure of learning is largely up to the teacher assigned the student. This is the only school that is given a spot at the decennial FIVE, but never shows up.

Who a student is assigned to depends on their goals and their pre-existing affinity for darkness as students of the night are usually those who have dealings with the night. A unique aspect about those who sign up are they're protected from the dealings of the world, so a number of recruits turn out to be runaways and stowaways where no where else to go. In these situations the hub are usually all treated as family by the hub leader (Elder). 

Umbra's school of Devi covers everything from combat, stealth, escape, and advanced functional arts for any job. Practitioners of a certain level are expected to start taking contracts within their ability to keep their membership.

The Poison Craze that led to Nairobi's restriction on resources and imports started when a Ghost partnered with a Potionmaster to assassinate an alarming number of people in positions of power by using commoners to deliver the poison through food and drink. Since then, Nairobi illegalized all poisons, including its research and placed restrictions on entry to areas where poisonous herbs of Devi could be harvested and required all Alchemists in Nairobi to be registered with the royal party. This also kickstarted the Umbra sect's transition to hiding their main hubs and the use of public hubs to interact with the public.